Conventional systems for controlling appliances and devices, such as garage door openers, security gates, home alarms, lighting, computers, etc., use individual wireless handheld transmitters or remote controls to operate the associated appliance and/or device forming a remote electronic system. Most of these wireless remote electronic systems use proprietary remotes or proprietary handheld transmitters that only function with the single device with which they were supplied. Most devices are only supplied with two remotes and, if the user has more than two cars, it is likely the user will need to buy additional remote controls. It is also difficult to control multiple devices, much less consolidate operation of the appliances and devices into a single, controllable system. For example, garage door opener mechanisms open and close a garage door in response to a radio frequency control signal. The radio frequency control signal is typically generated and transmitted from a remote control that is sold with the garage opener. Therefore, a user wishing to control multiple appliances and/or devices such as multiple garage doors, or a garage door and a security gate, is required to have multiple remote controls. There are few universal remote controls available for electronic devices such as garage doors.
In the field of wireless control of remote electronic systems, including home electronic systems, technological advances have been developed to improve convenience, security, and functionality for the user. One example is a trainable transceiver for use with the various remote electronic systems capable of receiving a wireless control signal related to a specific function or task. A user trains the trainable transceiver by, for example, transmitting a signal from a third party wireless device, such as, a remote controller in the vicinity of the trainable transceiver. Trainable transceivers typically work by learning and storing a carrier frequency and associated data code used with the third party wireless device. For example, a remote control for a garage door typically has a specific frequency on which it operates as well as a data code, to prevent other devices from operating the garage door. The data code is wirelessly transmitted to an antenna on the garage door opener. The garage door opener may use a rolling code as the data code. A rolling code frequently changes the data code such as after each use or after a specified time interval. Therefore, a trainable transceiver must also learn the algorithm used by the remote electronic device to match the rolling code sent by the remote control. Different devices may work on different carrier frequencies and have different codes as well as different algorithms to create the rolling codes. Therefore, the trainable transceiver must work over a wide range of frequencies as well as be capable of learning a wide variety of algorithms associated with rolling codes and store all for later retransmission.
Various advantages exist with using built-in devices in a vehicle to control multiple remote electronic systems. Unlike your typical garage door remote, the trainable transceiver may be configured to not operate when the power to the ignition of the vehicle is off; the vehicle is locked; or in other selected instances to prevent unauthorized access to areas desired to be secured. In comparison, if an unauthorized person obtains a garage door remote, such as by breaking into a vehicle, that person can easily open the garage door or gain unauthorized entry to secured areas. Therefore, the use of a trainable transceiver improves safety by eliminating any unsecure remote controls. In this manner, the trainable transceiver can be conveniently mounted within a vehicle interior element (e.g., visor, instrument panel, overhead console, etc.) and can be configured to operate one or more remote electronic systems. Therefore, it is desirable to add as much functionality as possible to the trainable transceiver by configuring the trainable transceiver to operate more devices than the number of preset buttons. More specifically, it is desirable to operate numerous remote wireless devices, such as home electronic systems, without adding additional preset buttons to the interface in the vehicle.
Many vehicles already include trainable transceivers for controlling various remote electronic devices. Trainable transceivers in vehicles generally have a set number of physical buttons, which function as preset buttons that perform a single, specific task that has been previously programmed by the user. One such system is Homelink®, owned by Johnson Controls, Inc., in which a trainable transceiver is able to “learn” characteristics of received control signals, such that the trainable transceiver may subsequently generate and transmit a signal having the learned characteristics to a remotely controlled device. An example of a wireless control system having a transceiver circuit 34 and a remote electronic system (remote device) also having a transceiver circuit 33 is illustrated in FIG. 2. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,226, hereby incorporated by reference. Typically, the trainable transceiver has at most three buttons, each button allowing the programming of a single function or task. More specifically, the trainable transceiver only stores a specific frequency and a specific code or a rolling code with each preset button. Therefore, the total number of available tasks that a trainable transceiver may perform is limited directly by the number of preset buttons, and a trainable transceiver having three preset buttons allows only for three tasks or functions to be programmed and used. For example, an exemplary trainable transceiver with three preset buttons could control a first garage door, a second garage door, and one set of exterior lights, or any other variety of three specific tasks or functions. However, if the operator of the vehicle has a second home or second location, such as a commercial business where it is desirable to control functions remote from the vehicle and without leaving the vehicle, current devices have no ability to easily add these various functions and tasks, without adding buttons to the device. Even for individuals only concerned with controlling devices at a single location, it still may be desirable to control more than the limited number of tasks individually associated with the preset buttons.
While the trainable transceiver works well for vehicle operators in controlling a limited number of electronic devices, such as home electronic devices remote from the vehicle, the operator may desire to control more devices than the trainable transceiver allows. While it is possible for the manufacturer of the trainable transceiver to add additional preset buttons to the interface of the device, such additions may reduce the aesthetic appeal, and increase the difficulty in the operator easily and efficiently selecting the correct preset button. In addition, the more buttons that are added to the trainable transceiver, the harder it may be for the operator to easily select and control a specific task or function.
Currently, users may forget what preset button is related to a specific task or function if they are not frequently used. Therefore, a user may push the first preset button to open a garage door and accidentally push the second preset button performing a task or function that is not desired. The buttons are not specifically named or related to a particular task as different individuals and users may have different desired tasks to be programmed with the buttons. In addition, in some instances, it is difficult to easily determine while the car is in motion if a pressed button has completed its task such as a button associated with opening a security gate that needs to be pressed as the vehicle approaches the drive having this security gate. Furthermore, currently all of the systems require physical interaction, and the ability to have hands-free functionality has not been accomplished. In some circumstances, certain people, for ventilation or allowing the ingress and egress of pets from secured areas, may desire for a garage door to be left partially open such as 12 to 18 inches off of the ground. As part of this, the user must manually start and stop the door in the proper position which at times is difficult due to delays in pressing the button or the system in communication with the remote device.
Further advances are needed in the field of wireless control of home electronic systems, particularly in the case of using automotive electronics to control home electronic systems. As automotive manufacturers are adding increased electronic systems to the vehicle to improve convenience, comfort, and productivity, simplifying the interface and control of these electronic systems is also becoming increasingly important.